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Staff Writer

The Hobgoblin storyline comes to an end here, but as is usual when it comes to Dan Slott’s Spider-Man, it’s not really over, and really, this is all just a prelude to the upcoming clash between Spidey and the Green Goblin.

The way this story actually wraps up was surprisingly simple, last issue ended with Spider-Man ‘outing’ Phil Urich as the Hobgoblin, and whilst there is initially some denial from Phil, he does eventually admit it, and Spider-Man brings him in with fairly little fuss. I suppose this efficiency shouldn’t really come as a surprise, we are seeing the ‘superior’ Spider-Man after all, and this issue once again really showed how different this Spidey is to the original version. He’s thinking outside the box, and it’s effective. Of course, there are ethical complications to what Spidey did, and Joe Robertson may have a point when he says that outing Phil only made things worse.

What’s more interesting is what comes after Phil is captured. It looks like SpOck is planning to execute him, but it’s only a timely phone-call from Captain America, reminding him he’s on Avengers-probation that stops Spider-Man from once again killing his enemy. I like this running plotline of the Avengers being suspicious of Spider-Man, and it’s worth noting that Spider-Man wasn’t in Infinity #1, I’m guessing he’s going to be kicked out fairly sharpish.

In the end, Phil Urich is rescued from prison by none other than Menace, who, to be honest, I had actually forgotten about, but it makes sense that she would be involved in whatever it is ‘The Goblin King’ has going on. Phil is accepted into Gobby’s fold, and takes a new name, Goblin Knight, which is pretty cool I suppose. Once again, the identity of the Green Goblin is left ambiguous, if it’s not Norman Osborn, then who the hell is it?

I’m really digging this book right now, especially because there’s so much going on, so many subplots and little ideas crammed into each issue. Added into the mix here was The Wraith and Carlie Cooper trying to find out the truth about Spidey, and that took a very interesting turn here, they interrogate one of the Spider-Henchmen and find out that he’s clean, he’s not ex-Hydra or anything like that, which surprised me. I love the fact that Carlie is going to ‘follow the money’, could SpOck be undone not by the Green Goblin or the Avengers, but by his banking? I would find that hilarious.

What else? Hmmm… Humberto Ramos’ artwork was excellent as usual, I’m very interested in seeing what’s next for Norah Winters, and I loved seeing mention of The Loners again, that was a fun mini-series. That’s the good kind of continuity nod, stuff like that, and when Slott points out the ridiculous number of Daily Bugle staffers who are villains, that was fun. Basically, this was another great issue of a great series, and next issue, Spider-Man 2099 is getting involved, I am hyped.

Staff Writer

The Hobgoblin storyline comes to an end here, but as is usual when it comes to Dan Slott’s Spider-Man, it’s not really over, and really, this is all just a prelude to the upcoming clash between Spidey and the Green Goblin.

The way this story actually wraps up was surprisingly simple, last issue ended with Spider-Man ‘outing’ Phil Urich as the Hobgoblin, and whilst there is initially some denial from Phil, he does eventually admit it, and Spider-Man brings him in with fairly little fuss. I suppose this efficiency shouldn’t really come as a surprise, we are seeing the ‘superior’ Spider-Man after all, and this issue once again really showed how different this Spidey is to the original version. He’s thinking outside the box, and it’s effective. Of course, there are ethical complications to what Spidey did, and Joe Robertson may have a point when he says that outing Phil only made things worse.

What’s more interesting is what comes after Phil is captured. It looks like SpOck is planning to execute him, but it’s only a timely phone-call from Captain America, reminding him he’s on Avengers-probation that stops Spider-Man from once again killing his enemy. I like this running plotline of the Avengers being suspicious of Spider-Man, and it’s worth noting that Spider-Man wasn’t in Infinity #1, I’m guessing he’s going to be kicked out fairly sharpish.

In the end, Phil Urich is rescued from prison by none other than Menace, who, to be honest, I had actually forgotten about, but it makes sense that she would be involved in whatever it is ‘The Goblin King’ has going on. Phil is accepted into Gobby’s fold, and takes a new name, Goblin Knight, which is pretty cool I suppose. Once again, the identity of the Green Goblin is left ambiguous, if it’s not Norman Osborn, then who the hell is it?

I’m really digging this book right now, especially because there’s so much going on, so many subplots and little ideas crammed into each issue. Added into the mix here was The Wraith and Carlie Cooper trying to find out the truth about Spidey, and that took a very interesting turn here, they interrogate one of the Spider-Henchmen and find out that he’s clean, he’s not ex-Hydra or anything like that, which surprised me. I love the fact that Carlie is going to ‘follow the money’, could SpOck be undone not by the Green Goblin or the Avengers, but by his banking? I would find that hilarious.

What else? Hmmm… Humberto Ramos’ artwork was excellent as usual, I’m very interested in seeing what’s next for Norah Winters, and I loved seeing mention of The Loners again, that was a fun mini-series. That’s the good kind of continuity nod, stuff like that, and when Slott points out the ridiculous number of Daily Bugle staffers who are villains, that was fun. Basically, this was another great issue of a great series, and next issue, Spider-Man 2099 is getting involved, I am hyped.

YOU WILL NEED A NURSE

Well I kind of figured that if Phil wasn't going to be killed off he would end up being the Green Goblin's bitch somehow. Did they have to bring back Menace though? Are they going to bring back the Stacey Twins next or something? The good thing overall though is that we don't have to suffer through the Phil as the Hobgoblin which will leave the return of the one true Hobgoblin Roderick Kingsley.

YOU WILL NEED A NURSE

Well I kind of figured that if Phil wasn't going to be killed off he would end up being the Green Goblin's bitch somehow. Did they have to bring back Menace though? Are they going to bring back the Stacey Twins next or something? The good thing overall though is that we don't have to suffer through the Phil as the Hobgoblin which will leave the return of the one true Hobgoblin Roderick Kingsley.

Outhouse Editor

Okay I didn't see that coming. Well, the Phil surviving part I did given that was spoiled a week ago for the previews for Superior Spidey #17. An interesting issue nonetheless of Phil essentially with no way out and boxed into a corner.

For the first time we see a small crack in Spock's logic. If this was Peter he'd just confronted Phil at the source and not publicly reveal his identity to the entire world. As such this has ramifications for Norah and Ben Urich as the later is taking a leave of absence and the former is fired.

I'm curious where Norah goes from here. I hope she goes to Carlie and Wraith thus getting the story of a lifetime. The fall of the Superior Spider-Man.

Menace was something I just didn't want to see ever again. Ugh... this is like her what fourth costume now? And she's only been a goblin for three years? Plus Phil remains a Goblin, but the "Goblin Knight"?

Sadly we've approached the problem the 90s had with Goblins, there's one too many. We have FOUR goblins running around. Green Goblin, whomever he is (though with this issue it's looking like it's Harry), Menace, the Goblin Knight (what Demogoblin's not taken? Phil's new look reminds me of Jason Macendale's "final" form as the Hobgoblin. So why not take that identity?), and of course the original Hobgoblin himself, Roderick Kingsley.

That's A LOT of goblins running around. Though I think Slott's endgame will be a goblin culling. I just wonder if we'll have a true Goblin War before we do. But considering Yost now has Kingsley I doubt that.

Outhouse Editor

Okay I didn't see that coming. Well, the Phil surviving part I did given that was spoiled a week ago for the previews for Superior Spidey #17. An interesting issue nonetheless of Phil essentially with no way out and boxed into a corner.

For the first time we see a small crack in Spock's logic. If this was Peter he'd just confronted Phil at the source and not publicly reveal his identity to the entire world. As such this has ramifications for Norah and Ben Urich as the later is taking a leave of absence and the former is fired.

I'm curious where Norah goes from here. I hope she goes to Carlie and Wraith thus getting the story of a lifetime. The fall of the Superior Spider-Man.

Menace was something I just didn't want to see ever again. Ugh... this is like her what fourth costume now? And she's only been a goblin for three years? Plus Phil remains a Goblin, but the "Goblin Knight"?

Sadly we've approached the problem the 90s had with Goblins, there's one too many. We have FOUR goblins running around. Green Goblin, whomever he is (though with this issue it's looking like it's Harry), Menace, the Goblin Knight (what Demogoblin's not taken? Phil's new look reminds me of Jason Macendale's "final" form as the Hobgoblin. So why not take that identity?), and of course the original Hobgoblin himself, Roderick Kingsley.

That's A LOT of goblins running around. Though I think Slott's endgame will be a goblin culling. I just wonder if we'll have a true Goblin War before we do. But considering Yost now has Kingsley I doubt that.

sdsichero wrote:I especially like and admire Zechs. He's everything I wish I could be!

OMCTO

What I enjoyed the most about this issue is that, for me, it finally feels like Slott is going somewhere with the overarching story. I think it is fair to say that it was obvious to everyone that, while Spidey-Ock has been entertaining, it was never going to be permanent. I think that now we are starting to see the groundwork laid for that climax.

OMCTO

What I enjoyed the most about this issue is that, for me, it finally feels like Slott is going somewhere with the overarching story. I think it is fair to say that it was obvious to everyone that, while Spidey-Ock has been entertaining, it was never going to be permanent. I think that now we are starting to see the groundwork laid for that climax.

YOU WILL NEED A NURSE

Zechs wrote:Okay I didn't see that coming. Well, the Phil surviving part I did given that was spoiled a week ago for the previews for Superior Spidey #17. An interesting issue nonetheless of Phil essentially with no way out and boxed into a corner.

For the first time we see a small crack in Spock's logic. If this was Peter he'd just confronted Phil at the source and not publicly reveal his identity to the entire world. As such this has ramifications for Norah and Ben Urich as the later is taking a leave of absence and the former is fired.

I'm curious where Norah goes from here. I hope she goes to Carlie and Wraith thus getting the story of a lifetime. The fall of the Superior Spider-Man.

Menace was something I just didn't want to see ever again. Ugh... this is like her what fourth costume now? And she's only been a goblin for three years? Plus Phil remains a Goblin, but the "Goblin Knight"?

Sadly we've approached the problem the 90s had with Goblins, there's one too many. We have FOUR goblins running around. Green Goblin, whomever he is (though with this issue it's looking like it's Harry), Menace, the Goblin Knight (what Demogoblin's not taken? Phil's new look reminds me of Jason Macendale's "final" form as the Hobgoblin. So why not take that identity?), and of course the original Hobgoblin himself, Roderick Kingsley.

That's A LOT of goblins running around. Though I think Slott's endgame will be a goblin culling. I just wonder if we'll have a true Goblin War before we do. But considering Yost now has Kingsley I doubt that.

Is Kingsley going to appear in Scarlet Spider now? When is this going to happen?

YOU WILL NEED A NURSE

Zechs wrote:Okay I didn't see that coming. Well, the Phil surviving part I did given that was spoiled a week ago for the previews for Superior Spidey #17. An interesting issue nonetheless of Phil essentially with no way out and boxed into a corner.

For the first time we see a small crack in Spock's logic. If this was Peter he'd just confronted Phil at the source and not publicly reveal his identity to the entire world. As such this has ramifications for Norah and Ben Urich as the later is taking a leave of absence and the former is fired.

I'm curious where Norah goes from here. I hope she goes to Carlie and Wraith thus getting the story of a lifetime. The fall of the Superior Spider-Man.

Menace was something I just didn't want to see ever again. Ugh... this is like her what fourth costume now? And she's only been a goblin for three years? Plus Phil remains a Goblin, but the "Goblin Knight"?

Sadly we've approached the problem the 90s had with Goblins, there's one too many. We have FOUR goblins running around. Green Goblin, whomever he is (though with this issue it's looking like it's Harry), Menace, the Goblin Knight (what Demogoblin's not taken? Phil's new look reminds me of Jason Macendale's "final" form as the Hobgoblin. So why not take that identity?), and of course the original Hobgoblin himself, Roderick Kingsley.

That's A LOT of goblins running around. Though I think Slott's endgame will be a goblin culling. I just wonder if we'll have a true Goblin War before we do. But considering Yost now has Kingsley I doubt that.

Is Kingsley going to appear in Scarlet Spider now? When is this going to happen?

Outhouse Editor

Flynn the Pirate wrote:What I enjoyed the most about this issue is that, for me, it finally feels like Slott is going somewhere with the overarching story. I think it is fair to say that it was obvious to everyone that, while Spidey-Ock has been entertaining, it was never going to be permanent. I think that now we are starting to see the groundwork laid for that climax.

That groundwork was laid back all the way into Danger Zone when Slott had the golden octobot around too. It's amazing he's balanced both subplots flawlessly.

Outhouse Editor

Flynn the Pirate wrote:What I enjoyed the most about this issue is that, for me, it finally feels like Slott is going somewhere with the overarching story. I think it is fair to say that it was obvious to everyone that, while Spidey-Ock has been entertaining, it was never going to be permanent. I think that now we are starting to see the groundwork laid for that climax.

That groundwork was laid back all the way into Danger Zone when Slott had the golden octobot around too. It's amazing he's balanced both subplots flawlessly.

sdsichero wrote:I especially like and admire Zechs. He's everything I wish I could be!